Kellock wants to learn from defeat

Glasgow Warriors captain Al Kellock hopes the pain of Saturday's 34-12 defeat to defending champions Leinster in the RaboDirect PRO12 final will spur the Scottish side on to success in the future.

In a match notable for the final career appearances of Leinster's Brian O'Driscoll and Leo Cullen, four first-half penalties from fly-half Finn Russell kept the Warriors in touch at 14-12 down.

However, Leinster's greater experience told in second period and late tries from Zane Kirchner and Gordon D'Arcy wrapped up a runaway win for the hosts.

Despite coming up short in their maiden PRO12 final, there is much for Glasgow to be positive about when they reflect on the 2013-14 season.

"We'll analyse the game at some stage," said Kellock. "We spoke in the changing room about how we need to use this again the way we've used these semi-final losses (in the past two seasons) and push forward.

"It hurts to lose a semi-final, and it hurts more to lose a final. There was a few key points in the game where we needed to get a break and I believe we pushed them really hard. Although the scoreline was comfortable, if we got the right break at the right time, we could have gone on and won that.

"But on the day the better team won. It's hard to take because we went out with the intention of playing the way we have been playing."

Kellock added: "Our supporters have been unbelievable. Unbelievable in the build-up when we came into the stadium. Unbelievable in the amount of messages that we've had over the last couple of weeks. We wanted desperately to win that for everybody involved.

"Because we've lost it, we can't let the good work that has gone in - not only on the park, but the good work in building this club - we can't let it slip. We've got to keep pushing forward, and if we lose a final to win one next year, then you would take that."

Warriors head coach Gregor Townsend felt that his side were not as sharp after the restart as they had been before it, but did identify replacement Niko Matawalu's spurned try-scoring opportunity as a key moment in the game.

"I thought we had moments of ascendancy in the first half. We played really well, we were breaking tackles. On two occasions we were in their 22 and we didn't execute. We've been very good in that area," explained Townsend.

"We were just rusty and we didn't execute well. Obviously there was the try-scoring opportunity which led to a big breakaway by Leinster. If it had gone our way, it could have been a different game."

Meanwhile, O'Driscoll's 186th and final appearance for Leinster did not go to plan from a personal perspective - he was forced off with a suspected calf injury in the ninth minute - but he was delighted to join fellow retiree Cullen in lifting the trophy afterwards.

O'Driscoll, celebrating his fourth league success, told RTE: "I've always said you can't plan anything in this game. What happens happens and you've got to roll with the punches.

"It wasn't going to be a good day for me today, only getting eight minutes or whatever but (winning) is what it's all about."

Asked what he will miss most from the game, he replied: "Hanging out with all your buddies and having a laugh, coming in every day and making sure that you're well equipped with your abuse because you know there is some coming at you!

"I'll miss that and the support that we've had. It's been a two-way relationship."